Development Associate

Job Title: Development Associate

Reports to: Development Manager

Position Type: Part-Time (20 hours weekly)

Location: On Site minimum three days per week - Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA

Salary Range: $20,000 - $25,000 / year

Position Summary:

The Chestnut Hill Conservancy seeks a detail-oriented, organized, and self-motivated Development Associate to support our fundraising and donor engagement efforts. This position plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth daily operations of the development office by assisting with gift processing, donor acknowledgments, database management, donor research, event planning, and providing administrative support. The Development Associate will also contribute to advancing the organization’s overall development strategy in alignment with our mission, serving as a key partner and sounding board in planning and implementing fundraising initiatives.

Founded in 1967 as the Chestnut Hill Historical Society, the Chestnut Hill Conservancy is a community educational center, archive, land trust, and advocate for the preservation, conservation, and history of neighborhoods in the Wissahickon watershed in and around Philadelphia. The Conservancy is dedicated to preserving the historical, architectural, and cultural resources and the open spaces that define the character of Chestnut Hill and surrounding communities in the Wissahickon watershed.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, tech-savvy, and passionate about the mission of historic preservation, landscape conservation, and community archives. Experience with Neon CRM or similar donor management software is strongly preferred. The ideal candidate will also be experienced with mail merges for donor correspondence and event communication. Although the position is currently half-time, there will be an opportunity for growth into a full-time position in the future, depending on fundraising success.

Key Responsibilities:

Gift Processing and Acknowledgments

• Process incoming donations, ensuring timely and accurate data entry into the donor database (e.g., Neon CRM)
• Prepare and send acknowledgment letters and tax receipts in a timely manner
• Coordinate regular deposits, prepare deposit ledgers for review by the Development Manager and bookkeeper, and maintain accurate records

Database Management

• Maintain and update donor and prospect records in Neon CRM
• Generate reports and mailing lists as needed for campaigns, events, and stewardship efforts
• Ensure data integrity and support database clean-up projects

Donor Research and Stewardship

• Research current and prospective donors to support cultivation and solicitation strategies
• Assist in tracking donor interactions and stewardship plans

Event Planning Support

• Assist with planning, executing and attending donor events, including invitations, RSVPs, logistics, event set-up and breakdown, and post-event follow-up
• Provide on-site support at events as needed (weeknights and evening hours required on occasion)

Administrative and Meeting Support

• Schedule and coordinate donor meetings and development-related appointments
• Prepare materials for donor meetings and board development committee meetings
• Provide general administrative support to the development team including report creation, letter mailings, and inventory tracking

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred
• 2–4 years of non-profit development-related experience
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with Neon CRM or similar donor management systems
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.)
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Enthusiasm for the mission and work of the Chestnut Hill Conservancy
• Vehicle required

Salary and benefits:

This is a half-time, in-person position with an annual salary in the range of $20,000 to $25,000 (commensurate with experience), 13 paid holidays, and 60 hours of vacation time annually on an accrual basis); some additional benefits may be negotiated. Flex time is available, if approved in advance, to accommodate occasional evening and weekend work related to meetings or events.

To Apply:

Please send a cover letter, resume, and a Chestnut Hill Conservancy end-of-year appeal sample letter to ashley@chconservancy.org with the subject line “Development Associate Application – [Your Name].”

The end-of-year appeal sample letter should incorporate the following elements:

Mission connection of the Chestnut Hill Conservancy with tangible impact

Emotional narrative or storytelling

Urgency and call to action

Membership and community framing

Gratitude and donor-centered tone

Note: All submissions should follow AP style conventions.